Growing your business with SMS: The playbook

Thanks to an unbeatable open rate (up to 98%) and real-time reach, SMS enables you to build long-lasting relationships with customers, ultimately helping you to grow your business. In our playbook, you'll discover the top tips and tricks into getting the most out of SMS.

Boost opt-in

Get the most of the 98% open rate when you're speaking to people who actually want to hear from you.

Build an active recipient list

Focus on quality over quantity. Encourage opt-ins through clear value propositions and make the signup process simple and transparent.

  • Offer exclusive discounts or early access
  • Clearly communicate what subscribers will receive
  • Make opt-in forms easy to find and complete
  • Use double opt-in to ensure genuine interest

Simplify your opt-in process

Remove barriers to entry. The easier it is to subscribe, the more people will join your list.

  • Use short codes or keyword-based opt-in
  • Enable opt-in via website, social media, and in-store
  • Provide clear instructions
  • Send immediate confirmation messages

Grow your contact list

From a clean database to valuable content, a subscriber list that's always growing is key to campaign success.

Grow and improve your database

Regularly clean and update your contact database. Remove inactive numbers and segment your list for better targeting.

  • Remove bounced and invalid numbers
  • Segment by demographics, behavior, or preferences
  • Update contact information regularly
  • Track engagement metrics to identify active subscribers

Use offers to grow your list

Incentivize sign-ups with exclusive offers, discounts, or valuable content that new subscribers can't get elsewhere.

  • Offer welcome discounts for new subscribers
  • Provide exclusive access to sales or events
  • Create referral programs
  • Give away free resources or guides

Leverage events to boost opt-ins

Use physical events, webinars, or special occasions as opportunities to grow your SMS list.

  • Set up opt-in stations at events
  • Promote SMS sign-up during webinars
  • Create event-specific campaigns
  • Follow up with event attendees

Write great SMS copy

With just 160 characters per text to play with and eight seconds to capture attention, short, snappy copy is essential.

160
Characters max
8s
To capture attention
98%
Open rate

Ensure your copy is clear, concise and compelling

Get straight to the point. Use simple language, active voice, and a clear call-to-action.

  • Lead with the most important information
  • Use action verbs
  • Avoid jargon and complex sentences
  • Include a clear call-to-action

Use personalization

Personalized messages feel more relevant and increase engagement. Use customer names and reference their preferences or past behavior.

  • Include the recipient's name
  • Reference past purchases or interactions
  • Use location-based messaging
  • Segment messages by customer preferences

Be engaging and create a sense of urgency

Make your messages exciting and time-sensitive to drive immediate action.

  • Use emojis sparingly and appropriately
  • Create time-limited offers
  • Use action-oriented language
  • Highlight scarcity or exclusivity

Improve conversion

Reaching your audience is the first step. The next step is convincing your recipient to take action.

Attract attention with eye-catching offers

Create compelling offers that stand out and provide real value to your customers.

  • Offer significant discounts or free shipping
  • Create bundle deals
  • Provide exclusive member benefits
  • Use flash sales and limited-time promotions

Use the power of loyalty programmes

Reward repeat customers and encourage continued engagement through loyalty programs.

  • Send points balance updates
  • Notify about reward redemption opportunities
  • Offer bonus points for specific actions
  • Celebrate milestone achievements

Accelerate response rates

Make it easy for customers to respond and take action immediately.

  • Include direct links to landing pages
  • Use click-to-call functionality
  • Provide clear next steps
  • Reduce friction in the conversion process

Reduce appointment no-shows

Use SMS reminders to ensure customers remember and attend their appointments.

  • Send reminders 24-48 hours before
  • Include appointment details and location
  • Provide easy cancellation options
  • Follow up after missed appointments

Convert inbound enquiries

Respond quickly to customer inquiries and guide them through the sales process.

  • Respond within minutes, not hours
  • Provide helpful information and next steps
  • Follow up on abandoned inquiries
  • Use automated responses for common questions

Send at the right time

Great copy and relevant offers might catch attention and prompt action but sending at the right time also matters.

When is the right day?

Different days work better for different industries and audiences. Test to find what works for your customers.

  • Tuesday-Thursday typically perform best
  • Avoid Mondays and Fridays
  • Weekends work well for retail and events
  • Consider your industry and audience habits

When is the right time?

Timing can make or break your campaign. Send when your audience is most likely to be available and engaged.

  • 10am-12pm and 2pm-5pm are peak hours
  • Avoid early morning (before 8am)
  • Avoid late evening (after 8pm)
  • Use timezone-aware scheduling

๐Ÿ’ก Pro Tip

Use Channl's quiet hours feature to automatically avoid sending messages outside of business hours, ensuring better engagement and compliance.

See SMS in action

How can mobile messaging be used for different industries? See a selection of our top industries here.

Healthcare

Appointment reminders, medication alerts, test results, and health tips.

  • Appointment confirmations and reminders
  • Prescription refill notifications
  • Health check-up reminders
  • Wellness tips and health information

Retail and ecommerce

Order confirmations, shipping updates, promotions, and abandoned cart reminders.

  • Order and shipping notifications
  • Flash sales and promotions
  • Abandoned cart recovery
  • Product restock alerts

Fitness and leisure

Class reminders, membership updates, event notifications, and motivational messages.

  • Class booking confirmations
  • Membership renewal reminders
  • Event and workshop notifications
  • Motivational content and tips

Not-for-profit

Donation appeals, event invitations, impact updates, and volunteer opportunities.

  • Fundraising campaigns
  • Event invitations and reminders
  • Impact stories and updates
  • Volunteer recruitment

Transactional messages

Essential notifications that customers expect and rely on.

  • Order confirmations
  • Payment receipts
  • Account security alerts
  • Password reset codes

Use automation

Save time and resources when you unlock the power of automation.

Know how it works and the benefits

Automated SMS sends messages based on triggers, schedules, or customer behavior without manual intervention.

  • Save time on repetitive tasks
  • Ensure consistent messaging
  • Respond instantly to customer actions
  • Scale your communication efforts

Automate the right messages for maximum impact

Focus automation on high-value, time-sensitive messages that benefit from immediate delivery.

  • Welcome series for new subscribers
  • Abandoned cart recovery
  • Post-purchase follow-ups
  • Re-engagement campaigns for inactive users

๐Ÿš€ Channl Automation Features

Channl provides powerful automation tools including scheduled campaigns, triggered messages, and workflow automation. Set up once and let the platform handle the rest.

Measure campaign ROI

See the value of your SMS efforts by setting goals, tracking specific metrics and measuring ROI.

Calculate your ROI

Track revenue generated from SMS campaigns against the cost of sending messages.

  • Track conversions from SMS links
  • Measure revenue per message sent
  • Compare SMS ROI to other channels
  • Factor in time saved through automation

Use the right tracking tools

Implement proper tracking to understand which campaigns and messages drive the best results.

  • Use UTM parameters for link tracking
  • Track click-through rates
  • Monitor conversion rates
  • Analyze engagement patterns

Continually boost your ROI

Use data insights to optimize campaigns and improve performance over time.

  • A/B test different messages
  • Optimize send times based on data
  • Refine targeting and segmentation
  • Remove underperforming campaigns

Get inspiration

It's not easy to think of campaign ideas that capture attention and stand out from the crowd. Here's where to find inspiration.

Find a reason to reach out

Look for natural opportunities to connect with customers beyond just promotions.

  • Seasonal events and holidays
  • Customer milestones and birthdays
  • New product launches
  • Company anniversaries or achievements

Write the perfect text message

Follow proven formulas and best practices to craft messages that convert.

  • Start with a clear value proposition
  • Include a specific call-to-action
  • Create urgency when appropriate
  • End with a clear next step

๐Ÿ“š Template Library

Channl includes a comprehensive template library with pre-written SMS templates for common use cases. Browse templates for appointment reminders, order confirmations, promotional offers, and more.